Telling Blow Question

[AnonymousOne]

So I have build for a character that I'll be playing next semester in College and wanted to know if I'm reading the feat right.

Telling Blow RAW:
Deal SA or Skirmish damage when you score a crit, in addition to the crit damage


Here's my question. As this does not say that the critical hit becomes a sneak attack, is it possible to add your actual SA damage underthe following scenario:

Rogue flanks target, Attacks, Crits

Damage from weapon dealt, multiplied by crit multiplier

Damage from SA added because of Telling Blow

SA damage from flanking

Can this happen? Why or why not?

 

[fafhrd]

It simply provides another condition for when sneak attack occurs. You don't get double sneak attack, just as you wouldn't if a foe was both flanked and denied dex.

 

[Sejs]

Telling Blow allows you to add an additional situation in which you qualify for sneak attack: when you crit.

In no situation do you apply your sneak attack dice multiple times.

If you were flanking a flat-footed enemy, you'd apply your SA dice once.

If you crit a flanked enemy and have Telling Blow, you'd apply your SA dice once.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. I reread the feat and it's not mentioned there. So by usual D&D rules, that would mean both works. Still, I expect to see some FAQ or errata on the topic agreeing with the others. Or has there already been some?

 

[RigaMortus2]

It simply provides another condition for when sneak attack occurs. You don't get double sneak attack, just as you wouldn't if a foe was both flanked and denied dex.

That is specifically called out however.

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target.

The standard conditions as to when you apply SA damage is an either OR condition.

Whereas Telling Blow doesn't make a distinction either way. True, it gives you another condition to apply SA (when you crit), but it doesn't say if this is in lieu of flanking/lose of Dex or if it is in addition to.

 

[fafhrd]

Explanation from the FAQ

When a rogue with the Telling Blow feat (PHB II, pg.
83) deals a critical hit against a flat-footed enemy, does she
add her sneak attack damage twice?
No. The feat simply adds another criteria that “activates”
your sneak attack or skirmish damage; it doesn’t allow either of
those values to be added twice.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Thanks. I guess that pretty much settles it. I thought it worked that way to (it is how I would play it), but just going off RAW w/o the FAQ it is a bit ambiguous. Thanks for the clarification from the FAQ!

 

[Sloanzilla]

I'm assuming that neither of the uncanny dodge variations protect you from telling blow, but that fortification might?

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'm assuming that neither of the uncanny dodge variations protect you from telling blow, but that fortification might?

wow, some amazing thread necromancy there. I would think armor of fortification would protect you, though.

 

[coyote6]

Fortification protects you from sneak attack and critical hits, so either way you look at it, fortification will protect you.

I'm surprised they never added any kind of anti-fortification abilities or magic items to the game. Maybe something that reduced the percentage chance of functioning.